Doctor Who May Bring Another Former Star Back For The Christmas Special

As the world prepares to bid farewell to Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor, the word is out that Doctor Who may bring another former star back for the Christmas special to accompany David Bradley as the First Doctor. It appears the holiday season could be a tear-jerker, as Jenna Coleman is reportedly in talks to return as former companion Clara Oswald to see the Doctor complete his regeneration process. Here's what we've heard so far regarding this rumor and how "The Impossible Girl" might make her way back into the franchise.

Jenna Coleman has reportedly agreed to come back and film a scene for the Christmas special episode of Doctor Who airing between Seasons 10 and 11. According to the Mirror, the return of Clara Oswald will play out similarly to past seasons in which Karen Gillan and Billie Piper returned for goodbyes as their respective companions in their Doctors' regeneration episodes. While fans should not treat this information as gospel, considering nothing is out from Coleman or the show itself, there is at least some compelling background information that can't be ignored in light of this rumor.

First, Jenna Coleman has frequently said that she would always be happy to return to Doctor Who if there was a good story, and a regeneration episode that features the First Doctor is about as good as it gets in terms of story. Coleman was with Capaldi since his debut as the Time Lord, so her re-appearance would be a great send-off for him. Coleman showed great respect for the show following her exit to the series, and when that's compared with her respect for Steven Moffat, it wouldn't be all that surprising to hear she cleared some things from her schedule to make a future cameo happen.

Second, while this is a rumor, it's worth noting that other Who rumors of the recent past have come true, such as David Bradley's return to the role of the First Doctor, as well as current companion Bill Potts' departure after Season 10. Granted, without Bill's onscreen death, there are no guarantees that we've seen the last of her character, but the new Pilot shipped off with her friend from the first episode, so she may not be long for future appearances.

Unless some more concrete news regarding Clara Oswald's potential cameo comes out between now and the Christmas special, fans of Doctor Who should expect to get their official answer when the Doctor regenerates this coming holiday season. Will the world finally get its first female Doctor, or --gasp -- an American Doctor?! All those answers and more will come in due time, but for now, there's still a lot of summer programming to enjoy. Those who need a reminder of all the great shows currently airing on television should visit our summer premiere guide.